With the rise of piracy and hacking on the internet, it has become much easier to illegally stream movies without paying for them. Streaming services such as Hulu, Netflix and the upcoming Disney+ have also made the living rooms and long car rides the ideal watching areas. Paying $10+ to sit in a theater with an over-sized drink and popcorn does not seem to be the "go-to" anymore in entertainment.
With that said, 2019 was not a year to sit on the couch to watch the hottest movies, specifically Disney movies. Disney has had one of the biggest years in the market. If the acquisition of Fox and start of Disney+ was not enough, just look at the box office numbers of Disney's 2019 releases. With multiple billion dollar grosses, Disney has dominated the film industry.
Here are some of the ways Disney has fabricated their money mountain this year (without spoilers, but if you have not seen at least half these movies, then I don't know what movies you have seen this year):
Captain Marvel
The Mouse's first big hit made headlines with it's $1 billion gross as a female-lead superhero movie. The movie follows Carol Danvers who is a fighter pilate in the US Army before she gets blasted with a powerful source of energy. She is taken away by the Kree extraterrestrial army, who is in war with the Skrulls, another earth foreign nation. Carol has no recollection of her earth life until she crash lands on earth. She must discover who she was and what the Kree have hidden from her about her past. This MCU movie is a nice step back from the events of Infinity War and perfect for introducing Captain Marvel into the core Avengers left after Thanos's snap (especially in the post-credit scene).
Avengers Endgame
nullThis conclusion of Avenger Infinity War's events is considered to be a cinematic event of a lifetime. With a whopping $2.78 billion box office gross, Avengers Endgame has claimed the title of highest grossing box office film of all time. After half the universe and half of Marvel's characters dusted to Thanos, the world was eager to find out what was next for the Avengers. This 3 hour masterpiece contains nonstop action, emotion and fan-service that anyone will find enjoyable.
Aladdin
We all know that Disney has never had a friend like money. Aladdin was able to be Disney'f friend by racking in over $1 billion, making it Disney's 3rd movie to reach the milestone this year. This fun family adventure retells the classic story with new twists and songs that make it stand out from the original cartoon. The visuals and choreography are amazing and is a must watch, like most movies are on this list.
Toy Story 4
It's been over 10 years since the last Toy Story was released. The popularity and hype for its next installment has not died down. The 4th film in the series has also, you guess it, grossed over $1 billion. It starts off following Woody and Buzz with life after Andy, but quickly becomes centered around Forkey and Bo Peep. Woody must choose which path to take for his happiness.
Spider-Man Far From Home
If 2 MCU $1 billion movies were not enough, then let's throw a third in! As the first movie after Avengers Endgame, Peter Parker, who does come back "somehow," must deal with life after, well to not spoil Endgame, dramatic events in the previous MCU movie. The high school kid from Queens closes out the "Infinity Saga" in Marvel's MCU with a fun and unique take on Parker's life as a secret super hero.
Lion King
Another live action remake, another $1 billion gross. Like Aladdin, this movie takes on the classic of Lion King in a live action, CGI setting with new takes on old songs and some new scenes. It follows the original formula more than Aladdin did. I highly recommend seeing this in IMAX or 4K when it hits home media.
Frozen II and Star Wars IX Rise of Skywalker
While these 2 movies have not released yet, I can guarantee massive box office successes for both of them. Frozen II comes out in November, riding off the Hype of 2013's Frozen. It follows the events of Elsa since the end of the last Frozen, and will be sure to draw large numbers in cinemas. The last episode in the new Star Wars Trilogy will also be poised to make a $1 billion gross, due to the franchise's popularity in the past decades.
